Angels in America

Decidedly the more exciting half of Angels. Yes, Millennium Approaches has drug-induced trips to Antarctica, an AIDS-stricken gay-bashing high-powered lawyer, and a gay Mormon. But the second half takes that drama and raises it with an orgasm-inducing angel, an unfulfilled prophecy, and a trip to heaven. That said, Perestroika might feel incomplete on its own; a short paragraph can hardly summarize the first three hours. Flaws in comprehension, though, could hardly be attributed to the production, directed by David Hsieh, who sells the 2½-hour story at a brisk, highly engaging pace. At times, in some characters, the level of energy seems incongruous with the level of illness; Prior (Brandon Simmons) is quite emphatic for someone who can barely stand. Then again, actors are best to err on the side of captivating the audience, and Simmons certainly doesnt lack presence. His scenes with Belize (ShawnJ West), his friend, nurse, and one-time sexual partner, are consistently funny, thanks in large part to Wests excellent sense of the plays comedy. Louis (Alex Garnett), Priors MIA lover, and Joe (Mats Ecklund), Louiss new lover, have great onstage chemistry, with all the complexity youd expect from a left-wing Jewish ideologue and a Republican Mormon closet-case. BRENT ARONOWITZ Ethnic Cultural Theater, 3490 Brooklyn Ave. N.E., 364-3283, www.reacttheatre.org. $6$15. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Aug. 10.